How do you know the difference between a banger journal entry and the foundation of a memoir? If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, then this conversation is for you.

Tucker is a memoir guru, having sold 5 million copies of his own memoir (“I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell”) and millions more of ghostwritten memoirs (for names like Tiffany Haddish and David Goggins). All of Tucker’s expertise can be dwindled down to three words: tell the truth. But it’s not as easy as it sounds.

In this episode, you’ll learn everything it takes to write a bestselling memoir: how to tell a great story, how to infuse your work with humor, how to turn your suffering into art, and how to make sure you’re ready to write a memoir in the first place. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to tell the unencumbered truth — the right way.

TIME STAMPS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:26 Why Tucker Writes Memoirs
00:03:37 Memoir Writing as Therapy
00:08:49 Writing Celebrity Memoirs
00:11:30 The Two Kinds of Memoirs
00:14:22 Write a Slice of Your Life Story
00:16:51 Focus, focus, focus
00:20:13 The janitor’s crazy life story
00:22:29 What makes writing funny?
00:26:53 Why some memoirs are bad
00:30:03 Write from your scars, not your wounds
00:33:29 Should you keep a journal?
00:37:54 Anne Frank’s diary
00:41:38 Tucker’s memoir-writing algorithm
00:50:55 What to do when you’re in tears
00:56:01 Writing dialogue
1:00:06 Truth vs. fact vs. fiction
1:01:59 Should you try to be original?
1:04:42 How to title your memoir
1:07:22 Audiobooks for memoirs
1:09:26 David Goggins’ audiobook
1:11:54 Tucker’s #1 rule of memoir writing
1:13:40 How to build a writing habit
1:24:11 Writing your 1st draft
1:25:12 How to write about emotions
1:29:52 Writing an introduction
1:31:44 How to begin a memoir

PODCAST LINKS:
Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv

ABOUT THE HOST:
I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.